Monday, October 31, 2005

Forget Web 2.0 - It's World Wide Wed

+=A marriage proposal using Google Maps

When Dave Garr decided to propose to his girlfriend Elizabeth, he wanted to do something more creative than just getting down on one knee. With 10 years experience in web marketing and user experience design for Apple, HP, AOL, and PalmSource he decided to put some of this experience to work in his marriage proposal. The result - http://www.daveloveselizabeth.com.

The marriage proposal website employs many web technologies, including Google Maps to display all the locations that are significant to Dave and Elizabeth. The big day started at the restaurant where they had their first date. While Elizabeth had her back turned to the window her family, including her 90-year-old grandfather, walked into view of the restaurant with a large banner that read "Dave Loves Elizabeth.com." Dave turned to Elizabeth and said, "I guess we better get you to a place where you can look at the site"! He then drove her to a nearby location with a computer and Internet access where Elizabeth had the chance to look over the website and Google Map in a final lead up to the official proposal. As Elizabeth browsed to the final section of the website, there was Dave pictured on bended knee holding a large bouquet of flowers. Moments later Elizabeth was rushed off to a location where Dave was positioned exactly as he was in the photo ready to ask the question in person.

..I've seen some pretty interesting uses of Google Maps but this one is one of the most unique. When you read through the DaveLovesElizabeth.com website you follow that same journey that Elizabeth did the day of the proposal. In addition to Google Maps, Dave also uses a music video, slide show and a greeting card to demonstrate to Elizabeth why they are meant to be. Interested in what she said to Dave's proposal? Read the full accounts of the day, including pictures, at this blog that Dave set up. It provides a complete a complete epilogue of "The World Wide Wed"